Quick Canned Vanilla Peaches

Summer Peaches. They are so freaking great it is like taking a big juicy bite of sweet sunshine. The local Texas peach harvest this year was especially great. The folks down at the Weatherford Peach Festival said it was the best year for peaches in a good while, since we had almost zero spring frost. So I have been getting peaches left and right, the Comeback Creek CSA has been giving me 1 bag a week, thanks to my friend C. Stew for asking me to pick it up while he was traveling around the globe. Also my good buddy Sean has brought over a few big bags from his folks peach tree. This recipe is my favorite way to save a bunch of peaches from spoiling in the fridge. I realize that some folks might not ever have this issue but this is a fun way to cook any amount of peaches. You get 2 very versatile delicious peach products that you can use in a ton of ways. Peach syrup, and canned vanilla peaches.

Peach Season For Life

Ingredients:

2-15 ripe peaches, washed pitted and sliced in wedges fairly thick (if it smells like a peach then it is ripe)

2 Tablespoons Sugar for every peach

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Water, Enough to cover the peaches by 1 inch.

Directions:

1. Add everything to a pot that fits the mount of peaches you are cooking. Stir gently a few times.

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low simmering boil. Stir gently a few times.

3. Use a slotted spoon and remove cooked peaches to a clean jar when peach have soften slightly, but not mushy, about 5-10 minutes.

4. Return pan with juice to the burner and increase heat to medium high and reduce liquid to a very thin syrup texture. Depending on how much you have this could take 10-30 minutes. Just check on it every now and then to make sure it does not boil over or reduce to much.

5. Remove from heat and let cool down some. Then pour syrup into peach jar and lightly put the lid on with out tightening. Let it cool down some more.

Uses for awesome looking pink vanilla peach syrup: Combine 1/2 cup with a big pitcher of water and it is a great summer peach cooler. You could also use it with bar drinks like bourbon or vodka.

Fresh local food used: Sean’s folks peaches.

Note: You might wonder why I don’t remove the peach skins, that is because I like the texture and it is easier to make this way. If you want to remove the skins, whenever you core the peaches don’t slice the halves into wedges. Put the halves into the pot with the sugar water and vanilla. When they are cooking, the skin will loosen and you can easily remove them.

If you fix some of these tasty vanilla Peaches, please share your story.